St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-18
A GILT.EDGED SWINDLER.
He Disappears, Leaving His Victim.
About 81 100000 ssin the Hoie.,,

New YORK, March 17.-Sheriff Grant
has seized the place of business of Walter
E. Lawton, at 80 Broad street, who did
business under the firm name of Lawton
Bros, as fertilizers, under attachments
from Judge Donohue. of the supreme court,
on creditors claims amounting to S245, 900.
1t is chargedsthat I-.awtOn has absconded
to defraud his CREDITORS; that he has dis
posed OF his property and taken large
amount of money with him. LaWtOn was
director in the Delta AZotin company and
was entrusted with $1,000 in notes to
discount for the company. On March Is
Lawton is said to have abscOnded with the
proceeds of the discounted notes. The disap-
pearance Of Lawton has created a great deal
of apprehension and it is generally believed
that he is bankrupt. He left the Office on
Tuesday afternoon, as usual, to go to his
home on the Hudson and has not been seen
since. To-day his cashier states that sew
eral attachments were obtained. The
amount of his liabilities is estimated at
about $1,000, 600. Mr.. Lawton is a wild
over and the sole representative of the firm.
His brother. who was associated with him,
died some time ago. Rufus L. Kirkland,
Lawton'S cashier, states that ON Tuesday
-Lawton withdrew all his funds from differ
ent banks in which he deposited and took
the money with him. Lawton, before his
departure destroyed all stubs. checks and
papers of every kind from which any infor-
nation could be secured as to the DISPOSE
tion Of funds and property. Josheph d.
Jones placed in Lawton's care on Tuesday
on behalf or the company $4,000.
THIS IS ALSO GONE.
Kirkland states that on Tuesday he had
;,,fo I 7,
Wall street and says that Lawton requested
him to go with him to the officers of the
Third National bank and introduce him.
This he did. Lawton also asked him to OBJ
tain blank warranty deed for the convey
ance of real estate in New Jersey and to
meet him at the New York hotel He met
Lawton there with the blank deed and both
went to the Grand Central depot. Lawton
told Kirkland he intended to leave the city
by train, that he had drawn out all the
money on deposit, that he was ruined, that
he did not know what to do and that he
would probably commit suicide Lawton
further said that he had exhausted all his
resources and was not able to pay out any
money in his possession. He left Kirkland
to take a train. The second attachment
was issued at the instance Of
the Chemical AmmOnite and Oil
company upon similar claim. The COM
pany delivered to LawtOn promssory
notes to the value of $120, OO0 in trust to
discount the notes and hold the proceeds
for the cOmpan'S benefit. In addition he
received IS, 900 in money. He discounted
the notes, kept the proceeds and also re-
tanned the money and converted it to his
own use. The third claim is one of SIS, 600
for professional services by Robert A. Van
Wyck rendered to Lawton. A number of
banks were reported to be heavy losers
through the negotiations of sLawtons
paper, among them the First and Third
National banks. the bank of the Republic
and the Chemical bank. The president of
the First National bank denied that the
bank had ever handled any of Lawton's
paper. The president OF the American
Exchange National bank, which was also
reported to be a heavy loser, would neither
affirm nor deny the rumor. The president
of the Third National bank says that his
institution holds but very small amount.
which is
SECURED BY GOOD INDoRsERs.
Just before leaving the city Lawton drew
from the Third National bank on checks
$10,0 600 or Sl2 200. Some of these checks.
to the amount of 5000, We're returned un-
paid. Abraham King said this afternoon
to a reporter:
II have filed attachments III the office of the
county clerk for the companies ofwhch am
the attorney. The amount Of the claims will
aggregate more than 100000. The Droperty
which have attached amounts to about as
much. / have no means of knowing lust
how much Lawtons liabilities will be. but
they will be over S5o0.u00. / don't know
where Lawuon has gone TO, and wish I did"
''Do you think he has gone to ioin the
American contingent in Canada?''
Il don't know. l should fancy not. We
could bring him back if he did 90. He has
taken away about $500, 300, which he raised
on the notes of the companies for which am
acting. l cannot tell just yet and may not be
able to for several days, how badly different
companies and banks are stuck"
The associates OF W. Z. Lawton look
upon his disappearance as part of a gigantic
swindling operation. The bookkeeper of
the firm is reported to have lost all he had